Oh no a single chick! Advice needed~~~

[R3M1X]

Out of six eggs only two hatched. I dont know what happened since I try not to open the incubator until they are hatched. One egg looked as though the chick zipped it open when it stretched, but nothing since then. No movement or chirping has been detected from that egg, even when I first noticed the crack. Another chick pipped but there also was not movement or chirping after the pip happened. There are two eggs that have no pips in them. One egg of those two, I wasnt sure survived development but put in in lockdown anyway just incase I was wrong. Today is day 22 of those eggs in the incubator. I dont know if I should cut my losses or keep an eye out for another day.
Out of the two chicks that hatched one is perfectly healthy. The second one that hatched was the first to pip, but took over 24 hours to hatch out. It was weak and ended up dying this morning. So now I only have 1 chick and no one around me has anymore I could buy. Non of my hens are broody either and my youngest chicken is 2.5 months old and couldn't care less of being an older sister to a squeaky puff ball;;;

I was able to raise my youngest chicken alone because she was naturally hatched, but this one I dont know what I should do to keep it from being lonely. I gave it a little stuffed toy and it has a heat panel to snuggle under. What can I do until it can be introduced to the older chickens?

 

[azygous]

The solution is to brood the single chick in proximity to the adult flock. It will then imprint on the adults and the adults will accept it as a flock member. There's even a chance one of your hens will be triggered by its presence to go partially broody and will show interest in caring for it. This actually did happen in my flock.

You can brood in the coop or if your run is secure and enclosed, brood there. This is what I do, using the heating pad system.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I don't like having a lonely chick and I have done everything in my power to prevent it because they definitely thrive better overall when there are at least two, BUT last year, on my very last hatch of the year under a broody hen that I just couldn't seem to break...I ended up with a single, injured chick that I had to bring inside and raise alone.

One thing I learned from the experience is that the chick did way better on it's own than I expected. I did my best to spend a lot of time with the chick (made easier because I have a daughter that was thrilled by the chick that "needed" her, lol). I don't recommend people raise single chicks alone if it can be avoided because it does takes them so much longer to acclimate to being a chicken later, but with no other options, it can still work.

If you're able to set eggs now to hatch in a few weeks that would probably be the easiest approach so you'll only have a lone chick for a few weeks.

Another option is to set up a brooder that is in view of your existing flock. So your chick will still be separate and safe from their picking but will still be able to see the others and chat with them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No movement or chirping has been detected from that egg, even when I first noticed the crack. Another chick pipped but there also was not movement or chirping after the pip happened. There are two eggs that have no pips in them. One egg of those two, I wasnt sure survived development but put in in lockdown anyway just incase I was wrong. Today is day 22 of those eggs in the incubator. I dont know if I should cut my losses or keep an eye out for another day.

If you aren't an avid hatcher and know how tight your hatch frame is... I would WAIT.

Many chicks will rest up to 24 hours after pip, before zipping.

I personally would wait another day to see if anyone else hatches and meanwhile... call around to local feed stores as most will be getting their first shipment of chicks this week... ask what they have coming in and consider picking a friend up if you need to, in a breed you are curios to try or already know you love... and maybe even sexed pullets!

Pics always welcome, and happy hatching!

 

[R3M1X]

This is only my fifth time hatching my own eggs. So I am still doing a few trail and error with the incubator I have and Ithought I had everything worked out mostly. I did have the same issue last year with my ducks, but I was lucky that Tractor Supply sold ducklings in September so I only needed to wait a week after she hatched to get her friends. Tractor Supply near me will not have chicks until late March and I have yet to find a hatchery near me that is in business and hatching eggs. I can't run power out to the chickens' new coop because I rebuilt their coop in a different and larger area, so I can only put the baby in the biddie pen after she doesnt need to rely on heating pads. She seems happy under the heating panel and doesnt chirp a lot until she sees that I left the room. (Sorry, assuming gender because I feel bad called the baby "it" also even though she is a mix breed and not of any breed that does it, her wing feather test is that of a female. It was accurate on her half sister a few months back so maybe it will be for her too.) In the photo, I tried introducing her to my 2.5 month old chick that was naturally hatched but they only bonded over food, and they didnt want to cuddle after they had ate so I took her back and lowered the heat panel for the baby again.